Destination Real Estate Reviews

Lawrence was incredibly helpful when listening to what we were looking for and showing us places. Very happy to work with him.

Lawrence was helpful and thoughtful in showing me a studio recently in a nice building taking care to be considerate of my price range and move in date. I recommend this realtor.

Very professional, quick response time, and focused on what I was looking for. I highly recommend this realtor.

I had amazing service with Laurence ! I mean he truly goes out of his way to help you find a place you really want. He helped me and my boyfriend move into our first apartment together and we can t be more happy with it. I would recommend him hands down. I admit he s pricey but I can say it was worth the money. Can t thank him enough for always being willing to help.

Lawrence was quick to arrive, got me through 4 showings with a keen sense of what he determined I was looking for, and a lot of knowledge about the properties in question. Thanks for your help!

Stay away!!! These guys are scammers and EXTREMELY difficult to deal with. My roommate and I thought they were nice at first but they definitely proved us wrong - we even had to get our lawyer involved. Definitely go with another broker if you can!!!!

Great experience working with a Destination Real Estate. Very efficient and professional, highly recommend if you re looking for a new place!

Horrible experience. They are dishonest, non-responsive, and charge exorbitant fees. Avoid DRE at all costs.

Everyone I met at Destination Real Estate was friendly and professional, the process was easy and straightforward, which is not always a given with real estate in NYC. Highly recommended! Thanks again DRE!

The worst place unprofessional not friendly they just took my $100 application fee they didn't even bother calling me back to let me know that I didn't qualify for the apartment basically I pay $100 to just fill up the paperwork and they forgot about me I don't recommend this place

They were pretty thorough at first but the guy they dispatched to show me the apartment was really creepy. He wouldn't meet me at the designated place the pharmacy and instead had me come to a different address near the one I asked to see. When we started to enter the new address he went forward without telling me why. When we got to the apartment and I saw it was totally different I asked where we were going and he replied "come Inside the apartment please I don't want to talk in the hallway" . It was really suspect and sketchy the way he deflected all my questions. I told him I wasn't following him into a place I didn't know and turned around. He yelled "hellooooo" after me but did not apologize. The whole thing was shady I would think twice

Got approved for my apartment and finalized all the intricacies within one week. Everything went smoothly. They were transparent and efficient! I love my apartment! Would definitely work with them again.

Great service couldn t ask for a quicker better process!

Wow, I m seriously impressed by Lawrence! I have been looking for a new place about 6 months now, dealing with brokers who don t respond or listen. Not here!! Lawrence showed me a bunch of places after carefully listening to what I wanted and my budget. He was quick, efficient and most of all very friendly. With in 24 hours I found my new apartment and we agreed on everything before signing. I was supplied clear, detailed directions for credit check, deposit, documents requested and next steps. Signing was seamless and exactly what we agreed on a day before. Don t waste your time anywhere else!!

Lawrence was friendly and informative! Great resource for your apartment hunt.

Used these guys to find my first place in brooklyn!! They were so helpful setting me up with a place. We found an apartment that exactly fit our needs in ONE DAY!! They are always nice and polite on the phone or via email. Always prompt and straight forward. Very happy that we found them and continue to work with them!! Would recommend to anyone looking to move.

Lawrence was very helpful and provided some good insight about my apartment search.

Laurence was a joy to work with, and put in a lot of effort to show us listings that fit with our preferences and our budget. Everyone I spoke or emailed with was very personable, and I highly recommend their services.

Horrible marketing funnel. You have to follow a bunch of links first, give out personal information before seeing the apartment?! They are never available . My WORST experience

Five stars for Destination Real Estate! Lawrence made this process fast and simple. He definitely went the extra mile and exhibited qualities that I haven't seen in other realtors. Lawrence took the time to really speak to us, get to know us, and help us through this process. He was always patient and prompt. His professionalism, honesty, hard work and knowledge are appreciated and respected. I would highly recommend Lawrence to anyone in need.

Dont deal with this people. Not professional Customer Service!!!!!

RENTERS: STAY AWAY. PROPERTY OWNERS: ESPECIALLY STAY AWAY. THEY ARE SCAMMING LIARS. I would give ZERO stars if possible. They are as slimy as it comes. I don't even know HOW they still have their Real Estate licenses. These guys are dishonest, unethical, money-grubbing liars. They are just terrible.

They are available when you are / flexible schedule. Incredibly thorough & precise, makes the process more comfortable. Friendly, knowledgeable staff.

I will keep this short because, it was just such a distasteful experience.

At first very professional and friendly (except for Lawrence who seems to have a bad day every day). They also have really nice apartments but just be aware of the apartments they have exclusivity deals with the landlord / that they manage. In my instance, they charged me the broker's fee which was 15 percent and that was completely fine. However, upon the lease signing I find out that I have to pay them a residual broker's fee every month for however long I stayed in that apartment (the residual broker's fee gets added to whatever the amount the actual yearly rent is and the 15 percent of that became my brokers fee). At the time I couldn't back out because I had put a good faith deposit.

Then there are the managerial mistakes in which they take money from your account and when you bring this up to their attention, they will get super defensive and will make you work to get your money back.

When I initially contacted I thought that the negative reviews I saw here were not a big deal, but I should've actually paid more attention to those and I could have avoided so much stress, and bad moments.

In short beautiful apartments, initial interactions are friendly, but they are dishonest, and crooked. I would never in my life recommend them to anyone. So just beware, and happy apartment hunting.

I've had a good experience with Destination Real Estate so far. No issues.

Excellent experience overall, worked with in our budget, was punctual, professional and friendly. the videos are an added touch that gives potential renters a great idea of the apartments ( saves everyone time). I would definitely recommenced Lawrence.

This was one of the easiest and quickest moving processes I have ever gone through. Lawrence specifically was incredibly helpful and made sure to lay everything out in a way that I could easily understand the lease and terms. My friend's rented from Destination just a week ago and their experience was just as easy and seamless as mine, found an apartment same day!

I used Destination real estate to find an apartment in Brooklyn, moving from a different state. They are great with communication and I was never waiting for them to respond to me. Almost a year after helping me find an apartment, they're still great at promptly responding to me and are always professional and friendly. Highly recommend them to anyone who needs an apartment quickly and wants professional service.

Lawrence was absolutely wonderful! Lawrence took my husband and myself to several different listing and made sure to listen and take into account our wants and needs. He even went out of his way to suggest some other listings he had based off of what we noted we were looking for and found us an apartment we loved. He was always just a text or phone call away to answer any questions and make the moving process as stress free as possible From beginning to end Lawrence really was the best and got us into our new phone as quickly and pain free as possible. I would definitely recommend him and Destination Real Estate!! Thanks again!

Broker was on time, entire process of setting up appointment was super easy

i got my apartment through them in july; i pointed out issues and items during our walk through and was assured all would be addressed when i moved in a month later.

when i moved in none of these issues were addressed and in fact there were even more (both cosmetic and safety issues). when i brought it up to my new landlord (whos number was given to me from dre and i was told he was "the maintenance guy or something") he said these issues were never brought up to him from the real estate company and he wouldnt have rented me the space if he would have known.

fast forward six months and my building is sold without warning and im attempting to get ahold of dre team for one month now both via email and phone with zero call backs, answers or returned correspondence.

they sure were quick to respond when they were waiting for my money for fees though....maybe a review will get their attention.

It's hard enough to find a decent apartment in NYC, but Destination Real Estate made it easier. Lawrence took the time to help us find the right place that fit our budget. Service was great, and I will definitely use them again in the future.

Destination Real Estate peddles itself as an honest, trustworthy organization. That is false. Destination Real Estate hides behind the excuse that it's "just a middleman," acts in the interests of landlords over tenants, and shouldn't be trusted.

My main advice if this is TLDR, go with your gut.

1 star for decent properties
1 star for being accommodating

Lawrence is a straight shooter and all business. While we did appreciate that approach, he was not very forthcoming with information or keen to educate us about the rental market. We were obviously new to the area and we did our best to research "things you should know" on our own prior to meeting with any brokers. Lawrence was the 4th broker and only after we met with a 5th one during our trip did rent control even come up. That would've been nice to know when we viewed the very first property. Anyways...

When he drove us to the different properties, he drove erratically and aggressively. It was pretty jarring and uncomfortable. Obviously, we didn't die, because I'm writing this review. But it wasn't pleasant. We viewed a third property that wasn't scheduled or on our radar that we ended up falling in love with. We were told the rent was $1850 per month (and he knew we had pets when taking us here). We saw the listing on their website afterwards and realized we didn't see it originally because it was outside of our price range and filtered out of our searches. It also stated in the online listing "no pets allowed".

The next day, when we made the decision to apply, we inquired about the price again and about the pets (we have 2 cats). We were told it was $1850 p/month and if our application was strong enough, the owner might make an exception for the pets. It was also not a rent stabilized property - which we were only told when we asked. We took a chance and paid their $100 application fee and applied. Due to our time requirements, we felt an urgency that was in no way caused by Lawrence. We have excellent credit and meet the income requirements so we went in hopeful. We were told that there was a chance we would find out on Friday if we'd be approved since we turned in our application early.



Go through Yelp, on here, and other forums, and read the replies that are given when someone leaves a not so positive review. Passive-aggressively blaming the customer out in the open is so poor in taste. Whether the complaints are valid or not, I prefer the "please contact our office directly so we can make this right for you" response vs the "let me put out every single detail of our meeting and explain how it wasn't our fault because you did this and this and this...". Eh. No thanks.

I'm glad we went with our gut and secured another rental. If you're new to NYC and looking at rentals, make sure you are comfortable with the broker, you know about rent control, and you come with a list of questions you want to ask. It is intimidating for newcomers that have no experience renting here. If you have good credit and your income meets the requirements for the price ranges you're shopping for, you will find something. Don't be like us and feel rushed and afraid that a place will lose its availability if you don't act immediately. If you have time, take your time.

All in all, while our experience wasn't super awful, it wasn't awesome either. Even though this company has some decent properties, we will not consult with them in the future due to their high broker fees and business practices.

This company is first class. Responded immediately to my needs and found many properties with my requirements. I would recommend them highly and use them again.

They lie, they are total jerks, and they have insane fees!
Run while you can!
Seriously.
All the positive review here I'm sure THEY wrote.

I recently worked with Steve and Dre for an apartment I was interested. Unfortunately, I did not proceed with them because an opportunity came up that was time sensitive and I could not refuse. Throughout the process, Steve was attentive and professional. Any questions or concerns I had Steve was right there. I ve dealt with a couple of brokers and none of them were this attentive and professional. Had I not got this opportunity, I would ve stood with Steve.

I highly recommend Steve and Destination for real estate opportunities.

They represent many great properties for good rates and are very professional in running their business. However, they are not above using deceit as a business strategy. They are not accountable for any agreements made or information exchanged verbally. I was shown a few apartments and was told that they are available to rent without a broker fee. When I went to submit my deposit, I learned that I actually had to pay a broker fee, only after I asked to double-check. Make sure your agreements can be backed up in writing before you pay them anything.

Lawrence was fantastic to work with. Very professional and found us many listings that fit our stated needs.

Used DRE to find apartment. Really enjoy their approach to showing apartments online; great way to help renters understand the space prior to making an in-person appointment (since, for many of us, time can be difficult to find). Would recommend you take a look at what they can offer.

BEWARE!!!!! This guy is a crook! Please do not make the mistake we made and use this broker. Last year we found an apartment through destination real estate, and after we signed the lease, and paid first months rent, last month, and the brokers fee, we were told that the apartment we signed and paid for was actually not available, and we had to move into another apartment in the building that was in worse repair. We ended up having to pay for those repairs out of pocket and never moved into the apartment we wanted. (We still live here because halfway through signing the lease, Lawrence threw in the information that we were signing for a 17-month lease, with zero prior discussion. ) Although we ultimately decided that suing would be more trouble than it was worth (I kind of regret that) the lawyer we contacted by pure coincidence has already sued him several times because he commits fraud regularly.

Also, for some reason DRE was managing the website our landlord was using for tenants to pay rent. Right after we moved in, he pocketed our neighbors' rent and tried to convince our landlord that our neighbors did not pay that month. Our neighbors had to show our landlord proof that they had paid rent and that Lawrence was the one lying and stealing. He is no longer the broker for our building, but he's still out there committing fraud. Do not give him your money!!!

Update:
You say here to contact you however our lawyer reached out to you several times about six months ago and of course no one responded. I only wrote this review now because I randomly googled your company name and saw that someone had posted a complaint on Better Business Bureau that you all had taken a $2,000 deposit from someone for an apartment that ultimately was rented to someone else, and never refunded the money to that individual, aka stole money from someone. Obviously I don t know anything about the situation, but given my own experience, my neighbors experience where Lawrence attempted to literally steal $2,300 rent money from them, any my lawyers personal and professional experience (when we contacted him, by pure coincidence, he has sued DRE on his own behalf as well as for other people) it s hard not to believe there is truth to this situation.

I can t believe you all are able to run such a crooked organization like this and haven t lost your license. Moving in with my boyfriend was supposed to be a huge, happy, life changing experience and you stole that from me. You also literally stole several thousands of dollars from me which I paid in brokers fees to live in an apartment I do not live in, and then I had to pay to fix up this other apartment that had an orange and blue kitchen with messed up flooring and a bathroom sink that is basically a tiny cement tub with a plastic hose that dumps into the back of the bathtub. I never would have paid over $3,000 brokers fee for that.

My partner and I were looking for our first apartment together and were incredibly pleased with Lawrence and Destination Real Estate. Lawrence was very attentive to our budget and needs and had a very low pressure attitude. On the first night he showed us four great apartments in our desired neighborhood and within our price range. He was very efficient and streamlined the entire process. Great experience. Really impressed. Highly recommended.

I didn't end up going with any of the apartments Destination Real Estate showed me, but their service was great. They had nice places and the man who showed the apartments, Lawrence, was friendly and professional. It helped that he was from Brooklyn and knew the area pretty well, so he knew what I was looking for.

My experience with Destination has been very good. I recently moved back to NY after a year away. For as excited as I was to move back I dreaded the apartment search knowing how hard it is to find a decent place here. I found their videos particularly helpful in getting an accurate feel for their places. They were prompt and very professional helping me complete all the needed paperwork despite me still being cross country. Last, upon moving in to the new place I had a couple of requests (which were above and beyond what you could really expect from a realtor) and they were very patient and indeed did deliver. I'm happy with my place and feel that it was my easiest moving experience in NY.

My experience with Destination Real Estate (DRE) was great from start to finish. I was very nervous about tackling the apartment hunt because it is a very different process than how it works in Texas. However, DRE totally made it an easy and even enjoyable experience. I also loved that they digitized the forms, which made signing and submitting a breeze!

Lawrence was extremely accommodating, knowledgeable (e.g., about the neighborhoods), and very attentive. He was upfront about fees and made the process very easy to understand. Overall, very smooth and good experience from apartment hunting to closing on a place. DRE was professional and friendly!

My experience was definitely 5 stars. Lawrence had great patience with me, while showing me a couple apartments at one time. Will 100% recommend to anyone looking. Very satisfied.

Destination Real Estate was really helpful in showing me around Brooklyn today. Thanks Lawrence!

Lawrence was fantastic! Although I am still deciding on which apartment I want. I have to say that I felt completely comfortable talking with him and discussing what I was looking for and felt zero pressure in getting something I didn't want.

My experience with DRE is a mixed bag. During the leasing process, my roommates and I found them to be unfriendly and difficult to speak with. Now that we are in the place, everything runs smoothly and they are fairly responsive when we reach out. My roommates and I haven't had any negative experiences with them since signing the lease, and have even been helped when one of us lost their keys and the office was open and able to let my roommate into the apartment. We did resign the lease with them, which was much simpler and upfront the second time around, so that speaks for something I think.

I had an excellent experience. Lawrence was very helpful, polite and efficient. Seems to know the area and landlords very well. I found a place quickly.

One of the quickest moves ever into the home of our dreams. Apartment is spacious and beautiful and Destination Real Estate made viewing, applying and moving such a breeze. Lawrence was amazing and super friendly! Great communication skills and a great staff. They're so great, I've even referred others to their website.

My overall experience was great with Destination Real Estate. They did not waste our time, got straight to the point and was very honest about everything. Found what we were looking for and made the process from the start as smooth as possible. Would recommend to friends and family.

Great personable service. Why did I ever try to find an apt in New York on my own?

Worst Service Ever! Canceled our appointment 15 min before when all of my partner on the way fro. NJ to NY. Worst customer service. 1 STAR

Lawrence was great! He listened to what I wanted and showed me two additional properties that fit my needs even better than the one I had inquired about. He was very knowledgeable about the properties, took extra time to answer questions, and was flexible when traffic delayed our arrival time. After the viewing, he sent great videos of the properties that included room dimensions. It was honestly the best experience working with a broker that I had.

Frankly we've had great experiences going through Destination twice in the last two years. They did not pressure us to go outside our budget, they really educated us on the different neighborhoods, and have responded to our requests and needs in a very timely manner. Recommended highly.

Lawrence was incredibly helpful and upfront, he responded quickly and provided everything I needed to know about the apartment.

So, I was looking for an apartment because we all have to leave our parents house, eventually. So there was a beautiful apartment on Trulia and it was also on FB. So I went to check it out and when the agent Lawrence showed me the place, I More

Have had Destination as our real estate agents for 2 years. Excellent service and relationships with landlords couldn t be better. Thankful for this team! Have had experiences with a couple other real estate agents since moving to NYC and Destination has by far been the best. Couldn t ask for more. Highly recommend.

Short and painless. Found the apartment on craigslist and my friends live in the building so easy/ fast to see unit and signed the lease within an hour.

The team on the phone is very professional and helpful. Lawrence, on the other hand, is very difficult to deal with. It felt as if he was doing me a favor while showing the apartments. Not professional.

Very friendly and helpful agents! They really work with your parameters to find you a place that you will be happy in. Detailed and professional.

My roommates and I have loved working with the DRE team. Our apartment is beautiful and perfect for us. Lawrence showed us the apartment and we loved it instantly. Not only was he upfront and professional, he also made himself available to us every step of the way. The DRE team is so pleasant to work with and they made the process so seamless. They re efficient, transparent, and overall a trustworthy agency. We couldn t be happier with them and the apartment!